The Rice Seized by Customs

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said that the “suspected fake rice” also sad to be plastic rice is contaminated but not plastic rice. This was made known in Abuja, during a joint press briefing by NAFDAC and the Nigeria Customs Service.

The seized consignment Speaking at the briefing the Ag. Director General, NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni said that following the reported seizure of the “suspected fake rice”, by men of Nigeria Customs Service, the Agency swung into action by sending team of inspectors to the office of the Customs Area Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Ikeja, Lagos to draw samples from the seized consignment for Laboratory analysis.

According to Oni, preliminary result of the analysis of the product, branded as “Best Tomato” in 25kg pack size, without NAFDAC number, no batch number, no date markings and no details of the manufacturer showed the follows: 1. Floating – Negative 2. Sedimentation – Positive 3. Cooking. – Normal 4. Odour. – Normal 5. Colour. – Off-white grains 6. Moisture. – 13% (within specification) 7. Pre-ashing. – Normal 8. Ash. – 0.6% (within specification) 9. Lead and Cadmium – Not detected 10. Aerobic mesophillic count – 2.8×105 cfu (above maximum limits) 11. Mould – 5.1×103 cfu – (within specification) 12. Coli form – 7.5×103 cfu (above maximum limits) 13. E-coli. – 14. Packaging. – Does not conform to NAFDAC pre- packaging Food labeling regulations 2005 Not Plastic but Contaminated Rice, NAFDAC

 “Based on the above Laboratory result, the product is not plastic but rice contaminated with microorganisms above permissible limit, hence the seized rice consignment is UNSATISFACTORY and therefore unwholesome for human consumption.

“I wish to thank the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service and his men for the timely interception of this unwholesome rice. NAFDAC in collaboration with Nigerian Customs Service will continue to intensify vigilance and surveillance activities at all entry ports and boarders.

“May I use this medium to appeal to the General Public to report any suspicious case(s) about all NAFDAC regulated products to any of the NAFDAC offices across the country for prompt regulatory action. I appeal for continued support and cooperation of all Nigerian to team up with NAFDAC in our concerted effort to deliver on our mandate of safeguarding the health of the Nation.”